Dundalk man stabbed a father and son, court heard
A 19 year old man who stabbed a father and son in an attack next door to his family home, has had his case adjourned at Dundalk Circuit Court for the preparation of a Probation report.
Alan Toner told Judge Dara Hayes last Wednesday that he has great remorse for his actions, and he's since changed his life since the incident in Castleross, Dundalk on April 19th 2020, when he was a juvenile.
He was before the court having pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm.
The first victim, who had asked his Dad if he could have friends over for a few drinks, told gardai one of his friends had gone next door to ask for filter tips for cigarettes and returned with the defendant, who he immediately asked to leave as he was unwelcome.
Alan Toner returned later looking for the person who had his filters, and as the victim turned to call him to the door, he was stabbed in the back.
He didn't feel anything and he thought his friends were joking, after they told him they saw blood.
He started to panic and found it difficult to breathe and woke up in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital, where he received five sutures for a stab wound to the left side of his back.
His father who had been in the sitting room, when he heard his son scream, told gardaí Alan Toner said "I'll take you"' when he went outside.He said the defendant had a knife in his hand and stabbed him in the lower back, and he sustained a cut to his arm, but did not require medical assistance.
The teenager ran to his home and his mother banged the door.After his arrest, he claimed he was protecting himself and denied stabbing either victim and claimed the younger one “probably got stabbed in the street acting the big man”.
The court heard Mr. Toner was nine when his father died and he was placed last month under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months by the district court.
Noting the defendant himself had been a victim of knife crime, Judge Dara Hayes remanded him on continuing bail to April 18th for the preparation of a Probation report.
Mr. Toner thanked the Judge adding "I've changed my life" and he stressed "I have great remorse".